Barbados Culture

Barbados is a small but densely
populated island of less than 300,000 people. It occupies 166
square miles and is only 21 miles long and 14 miles wide at
its widest point. Its location almost 100 miles east of its
closest neighbor shielded it from feuding Spaniards and Frenchmen
who craved other areas of the Caribbean. Throughout its history,
Barbados remained comfortable under stolid British rule. The
island is sometimes referred to as the “Little England

of the Caribbean.” But Bajans, as islanders call themselves,
have selectively borrowed from the British. Tea, yes, but don’t
forget Barbados is as care-free West Indian as the rest of the Caribbean.
With its past history of slavery and sugar cane domination behind
it, Barbados in the last century went through hard times, particularly
in the 1930s when the prices for crops such as sugar dropped. Wages
were low. Working hours were long. Racism and a rigid class system
also led to social upheaval. Today, however, that has changed dramatically.
The United Nations ranked Barbados 29 in the Human Development Index,
which made it No. 1 in the world’s developing nations. The country
has beefed up its education system to give it one of the highest literacy
rates in the world, 99.7%. That’s much higher than many developed
countries.

Barbados Shopping

The heart and soul of shopping
in Barbados is Broad Street, the main avenue of the capital
city of Bridgetown. Shops range from large department stores
to small specialty outlets. There are several shopping malls.
Merchants claim their duty-free prices are up to 50% less than
in Europe or North America. Visitors might keep in mind that
right outside Bridgetown is the Bayshore Complex, which not
only has shops but historic sites. One of the best places to

get local handicrafts including straw bags and rum cakes is Pelican
Village, also on the outskirts of Bridgetown. Shopping here, of
course, is not confined to the capital. Smaller towns such as St.
James and St. Peter also have a variety of craft and gift shops.
For visitors staying in apartments of hotels with kitchen facilities,
local supermarkets include Big B and Jordan’s Supermarket,
both chains.

Barbados Restaurants

We’ve provided listings for some of the top restaurants in
Barbados including Christchurch, St. James, Bridgetown and more.
You’ll find lavish gourmet restaurants, affordable restaurants
serving up good food, and everything in between. Sample traditional
Barbados cuisine or other specialty cuisines that are sure to make
your taste buds happy.

Read reviews entered by other patrons and be sure to return to
our site to submit your own restaurant review.